String of world leaders to see pope in November

After most of October was dominated by a synod of bishops to discuss the problems of Africa.

Pope Benedict XVI's diplomatic calendar for November includes a host of audiences with world leaders, the Vatican spokesman said Friday.

After most of October was dominated by a synod of bishops to discuss the problems of Africa, the pontiff met Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Friday, the first of at least 10 audiences planned this month with heads of state or government.

From next Thursday the 82-year-old pope will meet with Croatian President Stipe Mesic, Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer on successive days, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.

On November 18, Benedict will receive Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who will be followed to the Vatican two days later by Suriname President Johannes Ronald Venetiaan.

The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, will visit on November 27, Lombardi said.

Latin American leaders will round off the month, beginning with Chile's Michelle Bachelet and Argentina's Cristina Kirchner, who will mark the 25th anniversary of a treaty resolving their countries' territorial dispute over three Beagle Channel islands.

An envoy of Benedict's predecessor John Paul II is credited with brokering the accord.

Finally, Peruvian President Alan Garcia will meet Benedict on November 30.

A summit on food security to be hosted November 16-18 by the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organisation will also be an occasion for the pope to meet world leaders, but no specific encounters have been planned, Lombardi said.